Muslim Brotherhood official calls on Egyptian Jews to return

(JTA) — A Muslim Brotherhood official called on Egyptian Jews to return to Egypt and leave Israel to the Palestinians.

Essam al-Erian, deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, put out the call during an interview late last week with Dream TV, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported over the weekend.

Every Egyptian has a right to live in his country, Erian is quoted as saying. He also reportedly said that the Jewish presence in Israel contributes to the occupation of Arab land.

Egyptian Jews should refuse to live under a brutal, bloody and racist occupation stained with war crimes against humanity," Erian said during the television interview.

Erian also questioned why former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser expelled the Jews from Egypt in the first place.